Book Week 2026 runs Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August, and this year's theme is "Symphony of Stories" - reckon that's a pretty fitting way to describe the mix of tales, voices and characters that fill our rooms during Book Week. At Aussie Kindies, we're all for the dress-ups, but we also want to back in why a good story does so much more than fill in twenty minutes before nap time.
What's On for Book Week 2026
It's a big one this year - the CBCA is celebrating 80 years of the Book of the Year Awards, and the 2026 theme, "Symphony of Stories," comes courtesy of illustrator Briony Stewart. Schools, libraries and early learning centres around the country will be getting into the spirit with dress-ups, read-alouds and a stack of new titles to discover.
More Than Dress-Ups: What a Good Story Actually Does
Story telling isn't just a bit of fun (though it is that too). Raising Children Network(opens in new tab) mentions shared reading is one of the more reliable ways to back your kid's development, across a few key areas:
- Language - hearing new words again and again in a story is one of the best ways little ones build vocab before they're reading themselves.
- Empathy - stories about characters from different walks of life help kids start to get a handle on someone else's point of view.
- Imagination - every story is a bit of practice for imaginative thinking, which flows into pretend play and problem-solving down the track.
- School readiness - the story-time habits kids build before school lay down the groundwork for language, thinking and understanding.
No need to make a production of it - a quick story before bed or a laugh over a silly picture book does the trick.
How We Celebrate Book Week at Aussie Kindies
Our educators don't just save the good stuff for Book Week, but we do go all in for it. Expect cosy reading nooks, dress-up days and favourite stories read aloud, sometimes more than once because the little ones can't get enough of a good repeat. Kids get to pick their own books, and educators often throw themselves into the story - different voices, a bit of acting out, whatever gets the giggles going. It's all part of our Lifelong Learning Curriculum, woven into the everyday rather than a one-off stoush with a costume box.
Book Week 2026 Reads: A Few to Try
- Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell - an oldie but a goodie. Lift the flap, find the animal, repeat about a hundred times. (Suits ages 1-4)
- The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland - a classic for a silly voice. (Suits ages 1-3)
- Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Cosgrove - pure fun and rhyme. (Suits ages 2-4)
- It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr - bright, bold and dead simple, with a great message about being exactly who you are. (Suits ages 2-5)
- The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas - a great choice for helping little ones untangle big feelings, one colour at a time. (Suits ages 2-5)
- The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch - a cracker about a princess who doesn't need saving. (Suits ages 3-6)
- Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love - a gorgeous book about being loved for exactly who you are. (Suits ages 3-6)
Bring the Magic Home
You don't need a costume to get amongst it - one more story tonight is a great start. Keen to see how we enjoy storytelling in the classroom day to day? Find your nearest Aussie Kindies and book a tour.
